Joe Vesey-Byrne
Jul 10, 2017
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
The Prime Minister is being mocked for appealing to Labour to help her stay in power.
After running a campaign that warned voters to stick with the Tories, and keep power away from Jeremy Corbyn, Theresa May is now inviting her opponent to offer her assistance.
Despite the deal May made with the DUP, the Prime Minister is due to announce she would also like help from the opposition benches.
In a speech on Monday about the gig economy May will call on the other parties in parliament to 'contribute not criticise' and bring forward policies.
I say to the other parties in the House of Commons, come forward with your own views and ideas about how we can tackle these challenges as a country.
We may not agree on everything, but through debate and discussion – the hallmarks of our Parliamentary democracy – ideas can be clarified and improved and a better way forward found.
During the election the Conservative Party warned that Jeremy Corbyn would lead a 'coalition of chaos' made up of the opposition parties.
As the Times has pointed out, this is an about turn from May's election speech on 18 April in which she accused 'enemies' of jeopardising Brexit.
Our opponents believe that because the Government's majority is so small, our resolve will weaken and that they can force us to change course.
They are wrong.
What a timeless quote.
The centre right and liberal media have been scathing:
Picture: The Guardian, front page, 10.07.2017
Picture: Daily Telegraph, front page, 10.07.2017
Picture: The Times, front page, 10.07.2017
Picture: The i, front page, 10.07.2017
More than half believe in a cross-party team for Brexit
On issues such as Brexit there is some support for a cross-party approach.
A poll by YouGov published on 12 June showed 51 per cent of respondents would prefer Brexit be negotiated by a cross-party team.
Only 30 per cent preferred the Conservatives negotiating Brexit on their own.
Theresa May's overall slide in the polls has also been substantial.
A conspiracy without a assassins
May's plea for support from the other side of the chamber may be because she fears the greater danger lies behind her.
After surviving the initial post-election questions of her leadership, May is once again under threat from murmurs among Tories that she should be replaced.
According to the Mail on Sunday, at a recent private luncheon the former chief whip Andrew Mitchell said that her leadership was 'dead in the water'.
Mitchell is an ally of Brexit Secretary David Davis, who is being touted as a 'caretaker' Prime Minister to lead the party until 2019 when Britain is supposed to formally leave the EU.
A former cabinet minister, unnamed, told the Financial Times that May's position is 'untenable' and suggested she could be replaced around the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.
However, May might saved by the fact that no replacement for her can be agreed upon.
May has claimed she will stay in office for at least another year, to steer Britain through it's EU negotiations.
Sadly, we have heard that one before from embattled Tory Prime Ministers who promptly flounced off.
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